Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has mentioned Nigeria wants help and will request for same from the worldwide community.
The literary icon, while talking in Lagos on Thursday, mentioned the Nigerian authorities had at a time rejected assist supplied by the USA of America to trace down killers within the nation.
He mentioned the federal government refused the lie detectors and different technological assist from the US, with the claim that such wouldn’t work on Nigerians.
He mentioned he and several other concerned Nigerians had approached the US Embassy, and requested for the nation’s assist however was advised there that the then president rejected assist earlier provided.
He mentioned:-
“The era of the slave trade is meant to be over, if there is any impending violence, that qualifies us to ask for external, international assist, I think it is the kidnapping and enslavement of our children, rather than look to mercenaries, let us ask for help internationally. A new era of slave trade is taking place and this is not a metaphor, you all know very well that we’re being sold in the market in Tripoli.
“They hand them over in planes, aeroplanes, schools; we are overqualified for international assistance and allow us to stop guiding spurious national integrity and false pride and say we have reached the limit.
“A lot of these safety issues can be solved by technology. When this tragedy occurred, we approached the US Embassy on our own, and mentioned we needed technical aid to solve these murders.
“From the US Embassy, we phoned the president (then Olusegun Obasanjo) because they advised us that they had offered assistance. I asked what happened. They said the president was hesitating, so I said “Let’s phone him right here.” We phoned the president, and I said to him, “Don’t let it be heard that you were offered help to solve these murders and you failed.”
“He mentioned to me, “Oh yes, they even talked about lie detectors, but you know Nigerians, they can beat any lie detector” he said, oh those machines. Then I said, “Take the help.” Let us stop relying on our empty pride and seek help.”
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